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Home » Articles » Strata Marcella Abbey (Ystrad Marchell)Strata Marcella Abbey (Ystrad Marchell)
A collection of items relating to Strata Marcella Abbey (Ystrad Marchell), near Welshpool.
A collection of items relating to Strata Marcella Abbey (Ystrad Marchell), near Welshpool.
Strata Marcella or the Abbey of Ystrad Marchell was the largest Cistercian monastery in Wales. It was founded in 1170 by Owain Cyfeiliog, who invited monks from Whitland Abbey to inhabit it. The building of the monastery went on from 1190 to the early 14th century. The church of the monastery was 273 feet long with an aisled nave, a transept and a chancel.
Although the Christian church was supposed to stay out of political problems, the Strata Marcella monks were involved in the struggle between the Welsh princes and the Marcher Lords and between Llywelyn and Edward I. In the 14th century the King demanded the monastery to be controlled by Buildwas Abbey due to Welsh leanings. Between 1400 and 1405 the buildings were subject to destruction during the Owain Glyn Dwr rising and the monastery never seemed to recover completely.
After Henry VIII had ordered the dissolution of the monasteries in England and Wales in 1536, his men, upon their arrival in the area, discovered that Lord Powis had bought the buildings from the monks the year before and all valuable items had disappeared. The site was dismantled completely and many pieces of stonework were sold in the area to Buttington church, Llanfair Caereinion church and Trewern Hall.
Today very few traces on the site give evidence of this once large and imposing piece of architecture.
